US Seizes Nearly 400 Websites That Were Illegally Streaming World Cup

The United States has seized nearly 400 internet domains that were being used to illegally ?stream the World Cup, officials said on Friday, describing ?the move as one meant to disrupt international networks profiting from the popularity of the tournament. 

The U.S. Justice Department said the domains were ?identified with the assistance of soccer governing body ?FIFA and others, including NBC Universal and Warner Brothers.

The ?domains were used to



illegally offer users copyright-protected content ?in the form of real-time streams of the World Cup ?matches as they were being played and first broadcast, the department said. 

"These streamers not only violate copyright laws but also expose viewers to ?potential threats — including malware attacks and unsecure connections that can ?compromise personal and financial data," Eric Weindorf, a special agent in charge ?at ?Homeland Security Investigations, said in a statement.